A prisoner bribed a senior guard with expensive alcoholic beverages, some costing more than 20,000 patacas each, abalone, ginseng, cosmetics, deluxe travel and hotel stays, expensive lunches and dinners and other goods and services, the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) said in a statement on Friday.

According to the statement, the suspect, surnamed Wong, received the bribes for a “relatively” long period of time in exchange for “turning a blind eye” to the inmate’s “illegal acts” in the jail and offering the prisoner privileged treatment and “special protection.”

The statement did not identify the prisoner.

The statement said that the guard had been suspended from duty and is barred from leaving Macau. The CCAC described the case as the first involving a senior guard since the establishment of the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR).

According to the statement, the suspect was in charge of the prison’s daily operations.

The statement said that the suspect was caught red-handed last week when receiving bribes. A number of bribes were found on the suspect at the time of the arrest.

CCAC officers found a number of prohibited items in the prisoner’s. The officers also found “relevant evidence” in the suspect’s flat.

Meanwhile, the Macau Prison administration said in a separate statement that it had launched an internal enquiry into the case. (macaunews/macaupost)